*Singing legend Philip Bailey of the iconic band “Earth, Wind, & Fire” is keeping his head to the sky as he prepares to co-present the Second Annual Level Up Experience Conference. The one-day event, to held “virtually” on Thursday, Feb. 9 (12 noon to 2:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time which is 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 Eastern Standard Time), is a “free” and inspirational experience to empower young people in the foster care system.
The event will connect the Music is Unity Foundation, The Felix Organization, and The Purple Project in a grand collaborative effort to spotlight issues in foster care, especially those related to young people who are aging out of the system.
“We are proud to be a part of the Level Up Experience,” said Bailey, who with his daughter, are founders of the Music Is Unity Foundation, a non-profit entity started in 2007 and focuses on youth aging out of foster care. “With the collaboration of these three foster care charities, we can provide a day of learning, support, and fun for these young adults as they age out of the system and prepare to enter uncharted territory.”
The Level Up Experience Conference will kick off with actress advocate, and former foster youth Candi Marie serving as host. Bailey and Darryl McDaniels, a founding member of hip hop’s Run-DMC, will each deliver special messages about the state of foster youth from their perspectives. According to Bailey, there will also be “Ted Talk-Style” workshops on future planning and careers, safety and health, self-care, and relationships. In addition, there will be a special performance by singer and songwriter Dreion.
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Bailey said youth in the foster care system is an unserved population in communities across America. He points out that it is important that more people and organizations reach out to help youth currently in the system to find pathways to living successfully once they leave when they turn 18 years old.
“Foster youth find themselves in situations due to no fault of their own,” Bailey said. “There are a variety of reasons why young people find themselves in the foster care system. And there are not enough people championing their causes.”
Bailey said that his foundation has provided grants to community-based organizations and agencies offering supportive services to over 23,000 youth who are emancipating from the U.S. Foster Care system each year. Bailey added that the grants are from portions of the proceeds from “Earth, Wind & Fire’s” musical endeavors.
“The other thing that “Earth, Wind & Fire” does is through our Backstage Sound Program,” the vocalist said. “We actually bring some of the young people in the foster care system to our concerts and introduce them to the many facets and the jobs attached to successfully managing big performances and tours.”
“Earth, Wind & Fire” has given the world some of the most powerful music and positive lyrics and messages since the early 1970s. Bailey, along with Verdine White and Ralph Johnson – the core three of the group – have been performing together for 41 years.
Bailey believes it takes a village and coordinated collaborations with like-minded individuals and organizations to make a positive difference in the foster care system. He likes the stellar work of The Felix Foundation, started by Run DMC’s Darryl McDaniels, and The Purple Project, the brainchild of LaTasha Watts, as examples of committed people and entities to find solutions to issues in the foster care system.
“It is important to remember that these youth need our support,” McDaniels said in a press release. “The conference is one way of providing them with inspirational advice and real-life
skills and resources.”
Watts agreed.
“As a former foster youth, I understand the challenges and worries that come with being in the system,” she said. “Our focus with this annual Level Up Experience Conference and our work throughout the year is to make a positive and lasting impact on the foster care community.”
Bailey, who is the National Spokesperson for the National Foster Youth Action Network, said that he hopes the virtual conference will be beneficial not only to the young people in the system and the ones ready to age out, but to other individuals and organizations who can help. For those youth who age out of the system, Bailey said the outcome is far from great as they often become homeless, snared in trafficking, dumpster diving, and more.
“Basically,” said Bailey, “they are on their own.”
Bailey estimates more than 400,000 kids are in foster care across the country, with 20,000-plus aging out annually when they turn 18.
“I believe when foster youth come into the system, we all have a responsibility to ensure that they have quality lives and have the same opportunities that we want for our own children,” Bailey said. “Foster youth are struggling. We can all take action to help.”
For more information about the “free” Level Up Experience “Virtual” Conference, visit Eventbrite or call 206.295.9114. For more information about Philip Bailey’s Music is Unity Foundation, log onto www.musicisunity.org or follow the organization on Facebook and Instagram at @musicisunity.
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